China To Guarantee Compulsory Education For Migrant Children

China will ensure equal access to education for children of migrant workers and those who are disabled, orphaned or homeless, according to a statement on the central government’s website.

The government will boost educational spending on rural areas, poor regions or under-privileged sectors, according to the statement, which cited decisions made at a meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao. Provincial governments should provide sufficient teaching resources for rural schools and improve students’ living conditions, the government said.

“There are gaps in the quality of schooling and education across regions and between cities and the countryside,” the government said in the statement. “We need to make a major task promoting balanced development.”

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: William Bi in Beijing at wbi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nicholas Wadhams at nwadhams@bloomberg.net